Chard - help need recipes!!

littlechezza

Does anybody have any ideas for recipes for swiss chard, just got some with my veggie delivery and don't want to waste it, possibly something that would appeal to a fussy 20 month old and a 5 year old

Thanks

CLARABEL

this is a lovely veg, and is like a slightly more bitter veg than spinach, but similar in the way you treat it. try making litttle parcels of sausagemeat with it if the leaves are fairly large, appeals to kids.

for adults, I would just steam it as a veg cos I love the taste, but also nice with some crispy chopped bacon bits added to it.

Could also add to mash for colcanon style thingy

:j HTH


Clara:T

wigginsmum

I separate the leaves from the stems.

The leaves are stirfried in butter and garlic.

The stems are boiled or steamed and served with a cheese sauce.

Two veggies for the price of one, and if you grow it and don't cut it all, it will regenerate. We've been eating Swiss chard all summer from one packet of seeds sown in May.

Sazbo

Here are some chard recipes on Abel & Cole's website. The creamy pasta one sounds nice!

Pink.

Hi littlechezza,

We have an older thread on swiss chard that has some useful links, so I'll merge your thread with it to keep all the suggestions together. The posts are listed in date order, so you'll need to read from the beginning to see all the replies.

Pink

Sarahsaver

I got soem today, the list in the veg box just said chard, how do I know if it's swiss? It won't speak to me! LOL:) VERY unusual for me to have a vegetable I have not had before. We used to visit Joy Larkom's (sp?) house as kids and had all sots of weird and wonderful vegetables which she had brought from far off places, but chard was not one of them!

stefejb

I have a ton of this in the garden and my allotment book says to pick the leaves when young and treat as spinach - well it's a bit late for that and I have foot long stalks with massive leaves. I did do a quick google but as life is too short to make timbales (whatever they are) I'm hoping you guys can tell me how to cook it in a very very basic way
I steamed some today - leaves and stalks - and the lovely bright colours washed out and dd wrinkled her pretty little nose up at it. I thought it was ok but as we are going to be eating the stuff for ever would like some ideas

TIA

Stef

angie_loves_veg

as a 'side veg' - separate the leaves and stalks. pan fry the (chopped) stalks in olive oil for 4 mins, shred the leaves and add to the pan, stir, cover with a lid for 5 mins.

To create a chard and potato gratin - I use as a vegi main course (4 portions), but could easily be a side dish (6 portions)..

ingredients: 400g chard, 400g pots, olive tapenade, 2oz cheddar, 1oz parmesan.

do the above to the chard.
cook (until just soft) pots, ideally new pots. slice when cool enough
oil a dish (mine is 5"x8").
layer the ingredients - pots, tapenade, chard, tapenade, pots, tapenade, chard.
grate the two cheeses together, put on the top.
cook at 200 for 25 mins.

Although I haven't tried it, I have often wondered about swapping the olive tapenade for pesto or a tomato tapenade....

another side veg : start to steam the chopped leaves in a pan with just the 'clinging water' you washed them in, (make a white sauce around them), so melt in 1 tbsp butter, then add 1 tbsp flour, stir for 2 mins, add 1/4 pint (ish) milk. stir until thickening.
Eat as is, or put into a dish, sprinkle cheese on top and grill til golden.

albacore1854

Put it on the compost.Its awful even when young, and justwastes other stuff trying to turn it into something palatable

Joolzr68

Oh no don't throw it away. We think its way nicer than spinach as you dont get the 'furry tounge syndrome' spinach can leave in your mouth .

I just use the leaves for this dish however:

Wash leaves, pop in a pan with no extra water, drizzle with olive oil. Cook down gently moving leaves constantly so they dont catch on the bottom.
When wilted add a small amount of cream, salt, black pepper and a touch of lemon juice.

Lovely...bon appitite!